News Headline
Zee Sports acquires telecast rights for Challenger Trophy One-Day Series
MUMBAI: Zee Sports will showcase live telecast of NKP Salve Challenger Trophy One-Day Series to be played between India A and India B teams.
The tournament will be played over four days, starting from 10 October, with the finals being played on 13 October.
All the matches of the challenger series will be played under the floodlights. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar will be seen in action after a long lay off and would be raring to go.
The Challenger Trophy 2005-06 is being staged by the Punjab Cricket Association.
The event will be a key determinant in choosing the India team to face Sri Lanka later in October 2005.The Challenger Trophy will have the 36 best available players in India in action. Indian Team Captain Sourav Ganguly will lead the seniors team, stylish batsmen VVS Laxman has been made the captain of the India A team, whereas the India B team will be led by Dinesh Mongia, informs an official release.
Zee Sports COO Gary Lovejoy says,” We are delighted to acquire the broadcasting rights for the Challenger Trophy. This tournament will act as a catalyst for selection in the national team.
” The telecast will include preview and review shows, special programming, world-class graphics, special interviews and match reports. In addition we are working on special initiatives to substantially boost the value we provide to our viewers and advertisers which will be announced in the next few days.”
Punjab Cricket Association president I S Bindra says, “It was our dream to make domestic cricket as important as international cricket and today we at the Punjab Cricket Association are delighted to see at least 45 domestic cricketers basking under the glare of the television cameras instead of a handful international cricketers during a Test or a One Day International match.
” We have no doubt that with the production and marketing expertise of Nimbus Sport and the on air promotional ability of Zee Network, this Challenger Series will be the forerunner for many more domestic events where a new breed of heroes will be thrown up by the incalculable power of television.”
Nimbus president Satish Menon adds, “In Zee Sports we have found an outstanding broadcast platform for the Challenger Trophy, backed by the massive promotional capability of the Zee Network and the world class production that Nimbus Sport will provide. We expect that the combination will lead to the highest ever TVRs for the Challenger Trophy specially with Tendulkar’s comeback in this marquee event.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
